Pharming Group said Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Fabrice Chouraqui has stepped down with immediate effect, marking a leadership change at the Netherlands-based biotechnology company. The board has appointed Chief Commercial Officer Leverne Marsh and Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Lynard as interim co-CEOs while it begins a formal search for a permanent successor.
The company disclosed the transition in a Sept. 29 Form 6-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which included Pharming’s announcement dated the same day. Pharming trades on Euronext Amsterdam under PHARM and on Nasdaq under PHAR.
The board and Chouraqui mutually agreed to the departure following discussions about the execution of Pharming’s strategic priorities. The company said the two sides concluded that their views on how to advance the strategy were not sufficiently aligned, and agreed to the leadership transition.
Marsh and Lynard will divide responsibilities during the interim period. Marsh will oversee patient-focused operations, while Lynard will lead global corporate functions. The board said it has started a formal search for a permanent CEO.
Pharming said its strategy, development pipeline and commitment to patients remain unchanged following the transition. The company said its immediate focus remains on executing its strategic priorities and advancing what it describes as the next phase of growth.
The change comes roughly 20 months after Chouraqui was selected to succeed longtime CEO Sijmen de Vries. Pharming announced in January 2025 that Chouraqui would become executive director and CEO, following his experience at companies including Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb.
Chouraqui formally joined Pharming’s leadership as the company continued expanding its rare-disease portfolio. The business develops and commercializes medicines for rare immune and genetic diseases, including approved therapies and products in development.
The interim appointments place two existing senior executives at the center of the company’s operations while the board conducts its search. Lynard joined Pharming as chief financial officer in October 2025, while Marsh has served as chief commercial officer and will now take responsibility for patient-focused operations alongside her interim co-CEO duties.
The leadership change follows several recent developments in Pharming’s pipeline. Earlier in September, the company announced positive Phase II topline data for leniolisib in patients with primary immunodeficiencies involving immune dysregulation, adding a clinical development milestone as the company works to expand its rare-disease portfolio.
Pharming said it and Chouraqui would not provide further comment beyond the transition announcement, citing the need to support an orderly process. The company did not disclose additional financial terms related to the departure in the announcement.
The immediate appointment of two internal executives provides continuity while the search for a permanent CEO proceeds. The board has said the company’s existing strategy and pipeline remain in place during the transition, leaving execution of those programs under the interim leadership structure.
